Executives from Alsons Dev and The Abba’s Orchard join parents and young learners in celebrating the school’s opening at Avia Estate, marking a new chapter for quality Montessori education in SOCCSKSARGEN.
The Abba’s Orchard School opened on August 11, 2025, marking a significant turning point in the development of Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), the company’s flagship township in Avia Estate in Alabel, Sarangani. Avia Estate’s goal of becoming a well-rounded and future-ready community is strengthened by The Abba’s Orchard, which brings real Montessori education to SOCCSKSARGEN.
Nurturing young minds with true Montessori
The Abba’s Orchard is a high-fidelity Montessori school system offering programs from infancy through adolescence. Known for its authentic Montessori approach, the school offers the Erdkinder program (German for “children of the earth”), a unique adolescent curriculum that integrates classroom learning with hands-on experience through an on-site farm environment. Adolescents experience “production and exchange” in a micro-economy that addresses their evolving sense of self-worth (or dignity) in their maturing journey to adulthood.
With its opening at Avia Estate, The Abba’s Orchard becomes the first true Montessori school in the SOCCSKSARGEN region. The new campus will initially offer programs for preschool up to Grade 3, with plans to expand in the future to Upper Elementary and High School levels.
“We’re proud to bring our unique approach to families in Alabel and the wider region. We envision this campus as more than just a school; it is a space where children grow through meaningful and authentic experiences. We’re excited to begin this journey in Avia Estate, helping shape a new generation of independent, purpose-driven learners,” said Chris Barrameda, President and Founding Director of The Abba’s Orchard. He added, “Through our partnership with Alsons Dev, we can further our mission of making quality Montessori education more accessible across SOCCSKSARGEN.”
A month before the school’s opening, a ceremonial tree planting took place, symbolizing The Abba’s Orchard School’s and Alsons Dev’s shared commitment to creating a nurturing and sustainable environment for the region’s young learners and their families.
[L–R] Alsons Dev Vice President and General Manager Eric de la Costa, Assistant Vice President for Business Development and Operations Jolla Soriaga, and The Abba’s Orchard President and Founding Director Chris Barrameda and Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Abram Barrameda during the ceremonial tree planting held on June 24, 2025, at the Avia Estate campus. The activity served as a symbolic gesture of both organizations’ shared commitment to nurturing thriving communities.
The school’s presence in Avia Estate was made possible through a two-hectare land donation by Alsons Dev, solidifying a shared vision of enabling families to experience authentic Montessori learning in the region.
“At Alsons Dev, we believe quality educational institutions are essential pillars of master-planned communities,” said Miguel Rene A. Dominguez, President and CEO of Alsons Dev. “The Abba’s Orchard reflects Alsons Dev’s efforts of making education an integral part of daily life for families in the township.”
This collaboration reflects Alsons Dev’s ongoing efforts to integrate key institutions and lifestyle drivers into its communities, strengthening its developments not just as residential enclaves but as hubs of growth and opportunity.
Advancing Avia Estate’s growth
Avia Estate continues to make steady progress in its transformation into a future-ready township. One of the community’s key facilities, the Alabel Public Safety & Security Complex, was formally turned over last January 2025, reinforcing Alsons Dev’s commitment to ensuring safety and well-being within the estate. The Avia Estate football field is also opening this September 2025, further enriching the township’s recreational amenities.
As part of ongoing efforts to support growth and enhance estate-wide connectivity, construction of the estate’s main spine road is in progress. Land development for commercial areas is also set to begin this year, strengthening Avia Estate’s position as a growing economic hub in the region.
Avia Estate is a 121-hectare master-planned township in Alabel, Sarangani, envisioned to be SOCCSKSARGEN’s premier address. It will feature residential communities, commercial hubs, educational institutions, and generous open spaces designed to support a vibrant, integrated lifestyle for the region’s growing population.
By the end of the year, the first batch of house units in Narra Park Residences Avia will be completed, with turnovers scheduled to begin in Q1 2026. Key community features, such as gates and guardhouses, parks, and shared amenities, will also be completed, ensuring a livable and welcoming environment from day one.
Shaping the future in Alabel
Shaping the future in Alabel Avia Estate is gradually evolving into a vibrant, master-planned community where families may prosper, with first-rate education now integrated into the estate and key features almost finished. These achievements highlight Alsons Dev’s overarching goal of building welcoming, mission-driven communities that improve people’s lives throughout Mindanao.
Visit www.aviaestate.ph to discover more about the master-planned features of Avia Estate and to experience its changing landscape.
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